Pubdate: Tue, 26 Jan 1999 Source: ITAR-TASS (Russia) Copyright: 1999 ITAR-TASS. 2,600 GRAMS OF HEROIN CONFISCATED IN TAJIKISTAN. DUSHANBE, January 26 (Itar-Tass) - A total of 2,600 grams of heroin were confiscated from two female passengers of a Dushanbe- Alma Ata flight at the Dushanbe airport on Tuesday, sources at the Tajik Customs Committee told Itar- Tass. The attention of customs officers was attracted by the nervous conduct of women, especially when a check-up of fruit bags began. It appeared that the narcotic drug was hidden in plastic bags inside the fruit. The women said they had been forced to take the drug by unknown armed men. They claimed they were only to bring the heroin into the plane and pass it over to certain people during the flight. The airport has toughened inspection of passengers and their baggage on the instruction of President Emomali Rakhmonov. - --- MAP posted-by: Joel W. Johnson